More than 20 million homes across the United States are invaded by rodents every year. They can infiltrate food supplies, carry diseases, and severely damage your home. Most people turn to lethal methods to combat rats, but if you would prefer to release them back into the wild, there are live trap options for you. Check out some information you should know about live rat traps, why you may use them, what types there are, and when to call in the pros.
Why Use Live Rat Traps?
People use live rat traps because they don’t want to kill the creatures. Many people find it cruel to kill animals seeking shelter and food. That’s a morally ethical stance to take, though it may not be the most practical approach. Still, live animal traps are available if you prefer them.
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Another argument for live traps is that they’re eco-friendly. Such traps don’t use toxic chemicals that can leach into the environment. You’ll simply bait rodents with the food they seek out in your home before removing the animal to a safe place.
Types of Live Rat Traps
Major live rat traps include collapsible rat traps and humane drop traps. Collapsible rat traps are cages that simply collapse their doors down to trap the rodent within.
One type of trap often advertised is a glue trap. If you’re looking for a live trap, don’t be fooled. Glue traps permanently entrap a rodent in a sheet of adhesive and usually result in the death of the creature trapped.
Advantages and Drawbacks of Live Traps
Collapsible traps are affordable traps that have mesh floors and sides in either one or two-door forms. They can be used indoors or outdoors and are inescapable once a rodent is caught within. They can also be used to trap other nuisance animals.
Humane drop traps use a similar design but tend to be made of plastic instead of mesh, making them just as escape-proof and transparent. The shape of this sort of trap may look more humane as it is designed to look like the tunnels that rodents burrow into. It’s also relatively inexpensive.
The major downside of live traps is that you have to find a place to release the rodents, and you always risk injuring them while transporting them. Finally, the biggest drawback is that live traps rarely capture an entire colony. If you’ve seen one rat or mouse, that means you could have dozens running around through your walls. Usually, only a professional can take care of removing them all.
If you’re experiencing issues with a rodent infestation, a professional exterminator can take care of the problem permanently and help you make sure they don’t come back. It can also be done in an eco-friendly way. For more information, contact Dr. Death Pest Control today!